PARENTAL LEAVE, CHILD CARE AND FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS FOR PARENTS

WHEREAS, the AFL-CIO in its report "The Changing Situation of Workers and their Unions" has advocated creative bargaining, that is, bargaining for nontraditional services; and

WHEREAS, in the same report, the AFL-CIO has advocated that unions develop nontraditional services to members outside the realm of collective bargaining; and

WHEREAS, the problem of safe and quality child care, and flexible working hours are urgent concerns to working parents, especially to women workers; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 4300, the family and medical leave act of 1986, is a step toward legislating a just parental leave policy:

RESOLVED, since the children of the country are everyone's concern, that the AFT as a national union adopt this issue as one of its major tasks; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT develop materials for bargaining and non-bargaining locals on how to achieve parental leave without loss of seniority and benefits, good child care services, and flexible working hours for parents-both in contracts and in community action; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT support H.R. 4300 and urge its locals to be a part of an organized lobbying effort.